I don't dare do the math on my garden: divide the total amount of money put into the garden each year by the number of tomatoes, melons, peppers, bunches of sage, etc. we ended up eating. Given all the mistakes I make, seedlings I buy too early only to perish in the spring rains, and cute straw hats that end up in my shopping cart, I'm probably growing $20 tomatoes.
But when done wisely, planting a garden can actually save you money on an otherwise steep organic produce bill. Or so the folks at Peaceful Valley Farm, where I buy my garden seeds, would have us think.
They have a new product, aimed at recession-thumbed gardeners: a Recovery Garden Kit.
The Standard Recovery Garden Kit has just about everything you need to start a vegetables garden: seeds to sow indoors, amenities for your seedlings like a mini-greenhouse and customizable plant labels, plus organic fertilizer.
The Premium Kit has everything in the Standard Kit plus more seed packs, a seedling heat mat, more mini-greenhouse space, plus a hand tool for transplanting seedlings.
If you're planting a garden for the first time this year, these kits are a great option. I have used Peaceful Valley's seeds for years and can tell you they sprout delicious goodness. And while you're on the site, check out their straw hats... cute!
• Check out Peaceful Valley Farm's Standard Recovery Garden Kit ($49.99) and Premium Recovery Garden Kit ($99.99)
Related:
• Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply
• How to Start a Green Roof Garden
• Five Things that Make Us Want to Garden
or, you could save $50 or $100 and simply buy a good bag of organic soil and whatever seeds you want and call it square. cast off yogurt or takeout containers work perfectly well for seed starting, and there is no need to get caught up in the accessories. if your apartment is particularly dark or cold, a fluorescent bulb in a cheapo desk lamp will give seedlings extra light.
these kits are cute, but it drives me nuts to see these things marketed as "money savers" when they're filled with useless stuff you don't need to be spending your money on.
view hbl's profile
This year I started some seeds inside- basil & parsley. The others will be/ are direct sown into the raised bed. I bought a small bag of seed starter for the basil & parsley for $5, used empty egg cartons to plant in, put them on 1/2 sheets & covered with plastic wrap until the seeds germinated. Once they sprouted, plastic came off & they've been sitting in a part sun spot for a couple of weeks. This week when I transplant to the raised bed, I will snip the bottoms of the egg cartons & put them directly into the bed. The egg cartons will decompose nicely into the compost soil. I took a seed starting seminar where the lecturer said we could spend as much or as little as we wanted. Heat mats are nice & all, but I'm not trying to start much from seed. I'll be buying my tomato seedlings in a couple of weeks when it's ok to put them directly into the garden.
The seeds I planted direct into the garden have sprung up- the lettuces have been thinned out (and eaten as my own version of microgreens!) and the peas will be thinned this weekend.
Happy gardening!
view tallsarah's profile
I like to stick to planting seeds that can go right into the ground once it has warmed up and the risk of frost is gone. Here in Alberta that time usually comes around the may long weekend.
This year we've got a 14'x18' garden plot and we plan on breaking it up into 4'x4' square beds. the seeds that I am starting in the ground are:
Beans
Peas
Lettuce
Radish
Carrots
Beets
Onions
Potatoes
Swiss Chard
Parsnip
zucchini
Dill
I plan on buying seedlings only for:
Tomatoes
Squash
and I've started seedlings for:
Watermelon
Basil
I can't wait!
Parsley
view revolution9's profile